Jeff Gordon is making his final scheduled start of the season, and doesn't “anticipate” Hendrick Motorsports needing him to fill in again.
With Jeff Gordon not scheduled to continue substituting for Dale Earnhardt Jr. beyond this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, does that mean Gordon is really going to retire following Sunday's Sprint Cup race?
"Your guess is as good as mine," Gordon said while laughing Friday at Martinsville. "I can promise you I had no intentions of this happening, but here I am.
"So 'never say never' is all I know what to say. I really don't think that I will be getting back in the Cup car again, but go ask Rick Hendrick."
When Earnhardt was initially sidelined with concussion-like symptoms in July, Gordon's former team owner Rick Hendrick asked him to fill-in as needed and share the No. 88 car with young driver Alex Bowman.
The 45-year-old Gordon has since competed in six races in relief of Earnhardt, who was later diagnosed having suffered his third concussion in four years, with Martinsville his final start.
Gordon drove for Hendrick Motorsports from 1993-2015, winning four championship and 93 races before retiring at the conclusion of last year. He remain an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports in addition to serving as Fox Sports analyst, which broadcasts the first half of the Sprint Cup season.
Although Gordon plans to resume his duties with Fox Sports, and Earnhardt is targeting a return to competition by the start of next season that begins in February, Gordon said he is available to drive should the need arise.
"I hope in the future that the drivers don't have a situation like what we had with Junior where they need somebody to fill in for them," Gordon said. "This little bit of experience has been kind of good for me, good for the organization and we have had a little bit of fun with it as well.
"If I had to do it, then certainly I would. But I don't anticipate it."
Not everyone thinks Gordon is fully committed to retirement. Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson believes Gordon tired of competing fulltime and could be lured to return on a limited basis.
"I'm not sure he is ready to completely stop," Johnson said. "I think he was ready to get off the merry-go-round of 39 races a year, but the full stop I don't think he is ready for."
Gordon's best finish is 10th since coming out retirement, but he's optimistic of a good finish on Sunday. He leads all active drivers with nine wins, 29 top-five finishes and 37 top 10s at Martinsville, and is the defending race winner.
"Obviously, I have amazing memories from this race last year," Gordon said. "I guess there was a part of me that wasn't sure if I wanted to come back and take away from that, but at the same time I've always said if there is one track that I feel like I could get back in the car and feel comfortable and competitive it's this track.
"For that, I'm happy that I'm here."
No comments:
Post a Comment